There are many different ways that you may apply for veterans disability benefits. However, to help ensure that your application is complete and best supports the claim for benefits, you may want to work with a Dubuque veterans disability attorney.

Methods to Apply for Veterans Benefits

Generally, depending upon the types of benefits you are applying for, you may apply:

Online. You can register for an eBenefits account. You can upload your supporting evidence such as medical documentation. This may be the fastest way to go if you are computer savvy.

Snail Mail. You can submit a claim form over the mail to your closest Veterans Affairs (VA) regional office. You should send supporting evidence along with your claim.

Office Visit. You can visit a VA office personally and seek assistance from a trained staff member. You should bring your supporting evidence with you to the office visit.

Regardless of what method you choose, it may be a good idea to talk to a Dubuque veterans disability attorney to make sure that your application is complete and that you have all the necessary supporting documents. This can help avoid delays and better your chances for being approved for benefits.

What Evidence to Gather

Evidence that you must submit with your application generally includes any information that can help the VA establish that you suffer from a disability and that the disability stems from military service.

Some information you should get ready include:

Discharge and separation papers

Service treatment records

Medical records and documentation relating to treatment

Any other relevant information

It’s a good idea to talk to an attorney if you are not sure what evidence you need to gather to support your claim. An attorney can also work with you in contacting medical professionals in getting the documentation that you need.

Contact a Dubuque Veterans Disability Attorney

If you have any questions regarding applying for veterans disability benefits, contact Dubuque veterans disability Thad J. Murphy at 888-256-7413 for assistance on your claim.

The application process can be confusing and may require working with third parties. Your attorney can help you develop a complete application to help you receive the benefits you deserve.

Veterans who suffered injuries during active duty may be entitled to disability compensation. The benefit is tax-free and can apply to physical conditions and mental conditions. The process to apply for benefits can be complicated and if you have a question, you may want to talk to a Dubuque veterans’ disability attorney.

How Much You Can Receive

The amount you can receive in veterans’ disability benefits typically depends upon how injured you are. Generally, you must be at least 10% disabled. The more disabled you are, the more benefits you may receive. In other words, someone who is 70% disabled will receive a lot more than someone who is 20% disabled.

Veterans may be compensated for the primary injury as well as any related or secondary disabilities like those that arise from military service but don’t manifest themselves until after service has ended.

Some other factors that may impact the benefits you receive include whether you have dependents or if you receive other pay like military retirement pay and disability severance pay.

Eligibility for Benefits

To be eligible for benefits, someone must have served in one of the following:

Active duty

Active duty for training

Inactive duty for training

In addition, the veteran must have been discharged in some way other than under dishonorable conditions. As mentioned above, the veteran must also be at least 10% disabled by an injury caused during military service.

Proving the Disability

To prove the disability, the veteran will have to provide evidence of a current disability and tie it to the military service.

Oftentimes, veterans are able to prove this link through medical records. However, sometimes the link may be harder to prove and you will want to work with a Dubuque veterans’ disability attorney.

In some cases, the Department of Veterans Affairs may presume that the injury is caused by military service such as the case with former prisoners of war, veterans exposed to certain toxins, and veterans who served in certain geographic areas.

Contact a Dubuque Veterans’ Disability Attorney

If you have any questions regarding veterans’ disability benefits, contact Dubuque veterans’ disability Thad J. Murphy at 888-256-7413 for assistance on your claim.

If you are facing a debilitating injury or illness related to your service in the U.S. military, receiving a denial of benefits can be a devastating setback. If the regional VA office denied your claim, an experienced attorney can help you reapply and obtain the benefits you deserve. While a lawyer cannot guarantee the outcome of any particular case, your veterans’ disability lawyer will work hard to determine why the regional office denied your claim and will help you resubmit a stronger, more thorough application. As well, if you request a hearing, your attorney will accompany you through this process and make certain the VA is apprised of the true severity of your disability.

Dubuque Veterans’ Disability Lawyer Explains What to Do Following a Denial

Once you receive your denial letter from the regional office, you should contact your Dubuque veterans’ disability lawyer right away as there is a deadline of one year to resubmit your claim. To resubmit your claim to the regional office, you must file a Notice of Disagreement stating that you disagree with the denial and you intend to appeal. From there, you must decide whether to appeal directly to the regional office or to bypass the R.O. and appeal to the Board of Veterans Appeals (BVA). The BVA is a more authoritative agency, but will take much longer to decide your claim. For a faster turnaround, your Dubuque veterans’ disability attorney may recommend you appeal to the regional office first – you can always appeal again to the BVA if necessary.

After you have filed your Notice of Disagreement and accompanying documentation with the regional office, it will likely contact you for additional information. If requested, a hearing before a regional office officer will take place wherein you will be able to describe the nature of your service-related disability and its impact on your ability to work.

If the regional office denies your claim again, you can still appeal to the BVA with the help of your veterans’ disability attorney.

Contact a Dubuque Veterans’ Disability Attorney Today!

If you are facing a recent denial of benefits, do not hesitate to contact attorney Thad J. Murphy today by calling (888) 256-7413.

If you are enduring a debilitating illness or injury related to your military service, the last problem you wish to face is a denial of benefits. However, many veterans – who eventually are successful with their claims – face a denial and must appeal their claim to the Board of Veterans Appeals (BVA). If you are facing this situation, allow a Dubuque veterans’ disability attorney to help you prepare the paperwork and submit the best possible appeal package right away!

Appealing to the BVA generally occurs either because an applicant is flat-out denied benefits or the applicant believes his disability is more severe than the VA’s determination. If either of these situations applies to you, you will begin by filing a Notice of Disagreement. This NOD is filed at your local VA office and contains the reasons why you believe you were wrongfully denied benefits. You have just one year from the date of denial to file your NOD, so do not delay in contacting a Dubuque veterans’ disability lawyer for help.

Once you file your NOD, the VA office will generate a Statement of the Case. This Statement contains the facts, law and regulations pertinent to your claim, and will be mailed to you along with a VA Form 9 – which serves as your official appeal document. On this form, you must indicate if there are any mistakes in the Statement of the Case, whether you would like a hearing and the amount of benefits you are seeking.

Veterans’ Disability Lawyer Explains the Personal Hearing

You may request a personal hearing before a member of the local VA office or an agent of the BVA. At your hearing, you will be able to testify as to the limitations imposed by your disability and the connection of your disability to your service in the military. After reviewing the evidence, the hearing office will either deny your claim, approve your claim or remand the case for more information.

Denied? A Dubuque Veterans’ Disability Lawyer Can Help!

Contact the Law Offices of Thad J. Murphy today by calling (888) 256-7413.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is emerging as one of the leading mental health issues affecting soldiers returning from the trauma of combat. Too often, soldiers are not offered the proper mental health counseling after returning from war and are forced to assimilate into daily life without the benefits of treatment. Soldiers suffering from PTSD often endure flashbacks, depression, anxiety, suicidal tendencies or addiction before receiving the treatment they need to get back on their feet. If you or a loved one is suffering from some of the symptoms of PTSD, the Veterans Administration may be able to offer partial or full-time disability benefits to help the soldier avoid financial hardship during recovery. For more information, we encourage you to contact Dubuque veterans’ disability attorney Thad J. Murphy right away.

In order to receive benefits for PTSD, the VA will review your medical evidence to determine if you meet the current criteria. While every PTSD case is different, the VA will use its mental health guidelines when determine the level of disability and extent of coverage. The highest level of coverage is 100 percent and is available if a veteran’s PTSD causes the following symptoms:

Complete occupational and social impairment

Gross impairment in the individual’s thought process and ability to communicate

Regular delusions and hallucinations

Inappropriate behavior

Threats of danger, hurting oneself or hurting others

Inability to perform personal maintenance and hygiene tasks

Disorientation and memory loss

Since not every case of PTSD presents symptoms of this severity, the VA offers several other assessments for partial benefits. For example, a veteran may be eligible for 50 percent benefits if experiencing the following symptoms:

Reduced reliability and productivity

“Flattened affect”

Stereotyped or circumstantial speech

Panic attacks more often than once per week

Difficulty understanding complex instructions

Short- and long-term memory loss

Poor judgment

Poor mood or lack of motivation

As well, veterans with a lesser-degree of PTSD may be eligible for benefits upon meeting certain criteria. The VA currently offers a ten percent disability benefit for veterans showing PTSD symptoms including mild or transient inability to perform work tasks or more severe symptoms controlled by consistent, daily medication.

PTSD is a serious illness, and a Dubuque veterans’ disability attorney can help you obtain the financial assistance you need to get through your symptoms. For more information, call the Law Offices of Thad J. Murphy today at (888) 256-7413.

Research has revealed the startling, long-term effects of exposure to Agent Orange. This toxic herbicide was routinely used during the time U.S. soldiers were present in Vietnam and was used to destroy crops and trees in enemy territory. Aside from its herbicidal effects, this powerful chemical is proven to have caused devastating health problems for veterans, including any of the following:

AL Amyloidosis

Chronic B-cell Leukemia

Chloracne

Diabetes Mellitus Type 2

Hodgkin’s Disease

Ischemic Heart Disease

Multiple Myeloma

Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

Parkinson’s Disease

Peripheral Neuropathy

Porphyria CutaneaTarda

Prostate Cancer

Respiratory Cancer

Soft-tissue Sarcoma

If you are suffering from any of these conditions and were present in Korea or Vietnam while serving in the U.S. military, the Veteran’s Administration presumes your condition was caused by exposure to Agent Orange. The next step is to apply for benefits with the help of your Iowa veterans’ disability attorney.

I am Suffering From a Condition Caused by Agent Orange. How do I Apply?

The quickest way to apply for benefits is to work with an experienced and knowledgeable Iowa veterans’ disability lawyer. In order to apply, you will need to fill out an application and submit medical evidence documenting your condition. The VA will review your years of service, as well as the locations in which you served, to determine if you condition is presumptively caused by your time in the military. Eligibility criteria may include a review of your military service as compared to designated exposure locations, which include:

Vietnam (including open sea ships off the coast): January 9, 1962 and May 7, 1975

Korea: April 1, 1968 and August 31, 1971

Thailand: February 28, 1961 and May 7, 1975

Herbicide test sites in various military facilities in the U.S. and abroad

Exposure to Agent Orange residue left on C-123 planes after the Vietnam War

Contact an Iowa Veterans’ Disability Lawyer Today

For more information about Agent Orange exposure and obtaining disability benefits, we encourage you to contact an Iowa veterans’ disability attorney at the Law Offices of Thad J. Murphy today: (888) 256-7413.

Iowa Veterans’ Disability Lawyer Discusses Gulf War Syndrome

If you are one of the courageous and selfless U.S. veterans having served us in the Gulf War, we wish to begin by thanking you for your years of dedication to our nation and its safety. As an Iowa veterans’ disability lawyer,our office works closely with veterans and their families as returning soldiers face unthinkable physical and mental disabilities upon return from the battlefield. If you were diagnosed with Gulf War Syndrome or believe your symptoms may meet the criteria set forth by the Veterans Administration (VA), we encourage you to meet with us today to get started on your application for disability benefits.

What is Gulf War Syndrome?

Gulf War Syndrome is a recently-recognized condition categorized by the VA as a chronic and multi-symptom disorder affecting multiple areas of the body systemically. It is estimated one-half to two-thirds of veteran’s having served in the Gulf War suffer from this condition, marked by symptoms including:

Fatigue

Headache

Issues with short-term and long-term memory

Pain or swelling in the muscles and joints

Digestive problems

Neurological distress

Cancerous tumors

Gulf War Syndrome is marked by a seemingly inexplicable array of symptoms that cannot be attributed to any other underlying condition. As your Iowa veterans’ disability attorney will more fully explain, the VA categorizes certain conditions as presumptively caused by a soldier’s service in designated areas of Southwest Asia, including the following:

Iowa Veterans’ Disability Attorney Discusses Applying for Benefits

If you believe your symptoms are indicative of Gulf War Syndrome, your attorney can help you prepare your documentation and submit your claim to the VA. The extent of your benefits will depend upon whether you are partially or totally disabled by the effects of Gulf War Syndrome. Your Iowa veterans’ disability lawyer can help you apply either online or in person and will offer you the counsel and thorough explanation you need.

For more information about how the VA evaluates Gulf War Syndrome, we encourage you to contact us today at (888) 256-7413.

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